Adjustable connection for rail points



April 25, 1939;

s L. EASTBIURN ET AL ADJUSTABLE CONNECTION FOR RAIL POINTS OriginalFiled April '7, 1956 l N VE N TO s Samuel Z. Easilwrm flange/1 (w MATTORNEY 2 Sheets-Sheet l 5. L. EASTBURN ET AL Original Filed April 7,1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 vi 5 w; m I m m imgl \N :5 WM Mm A @m PatentedApr. 25, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ADJUSTABLE CONNECTION FOR RAILrom'rsv ration of Delaware Original application April 7, 1936, SerialNo. 73,062. Divided and this application October 10, 1936, Serial No.104,980. r

1 Claim. (011246-452) The invention relates to railroad track equipment,and more particularly, to adjustable connections between a looking oroperating device and the track member connected thereto.

According to the invention, the connecting or lock rod may be providedwith a suitable extension which is clamped against the switch point orother track rail by a suitable clamping bar. Suitable shims may beprovided which, when transferred from one side to the other of theconnecting rod extension, permit the necessary adjustment. Althoughcapable of other uses, the invention is particularly applicable tosafety locking devices for locking a switch point in main line position,wherein a notch is provided in the connecting rod in which seats thelatch member of the locking device.

This application is a division of application Serial No. 73,062, filedApril 7, 1936.

The invention also consists in certain new and original features ofconstruction and combinations of parts hereinafter set forth andclaimed.

Although the novel features which are believed to be characteristic ofthis invention will be particularly pointed out in the claim appendedhereto, the invention itself, as to its objects and advantages, and themanner in which it may be carried out, may be better understood byreferring to the following description taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings forming a part thereof, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view illustrating the adjustable connection used with asingle switch having its normally closed point adjacent the safetylocking device;

Fig. 2 is a detail illustrating a vertical section through theadjustable connection;

Figs. 3 and 4 are sections on the lines 3-3 and 4-4, respectively, ofFig. 2;

Fig. 5 illustrates a modified form of adjustable connection used whenthe safety locking device is applied to a single switch having itsnormally closed point remote from the locking device.

In the following description and in the claim, various details will beidentified by specific names for convenience, but they are intended tobe as generic in their application as the art will permit.

Like reference characters denote like parts in the several figures ofthe drawings.

In the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification,certain specific diSClOr sure of the invention is made for purposes ofexplanation, but it will be understood that the details may be modifiedin various respects without departure from the broad aspect of theinvention.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to the form shownin Figs. 1-4, theadjustable connection is applied to a singleswitchwherein the locking device 20 is located on the same side as thenormally closed switch point. The switch used for illustration may be ofany well known construction. It will be understood that the inventionmay be applied to other track points, as for example, derailingswitches.

The switch shown for purposes of illustration comprises the usual stockrails l and II and switch points 12 and E3 resting on ordinary ties I land extra long ties IS. The switch point 13 is the normally closedpoint, rails I0 and I3 constituting main linerails and rails H and I2constituting branch line rails. The safety locking device 2!], as willbe understood by those skilled in the art, is used for the purpose oflocking the switch in safe position for traffic on the main line.

The switch points. l2 and I3 are connected by the usual switch rod I6.There may be a plurality of such switch rods, but only one is shown forpurposes of illustration. Connected to the switch rodis a connecting rodll extending to the switch stand I8 supported by the ties l5. Thisswitchstand [8 has a handle IQ for manually operating the switch. Thisparticular type of switch stand is shown merely for purposes ofillustration, it being understood that other types of switch stand mayalso be used. The switch stand may have its own locking device forlocking the switch points.

The safety locking device 20 is directly connected by rod H to thenormally closed point 13. Any common or Well known locking device may beused with the adjustable connection, such as, for example, the typedisclosed in Stolle and Manley Patent No. 1,581,036, but it is preferredto use the locking device disclosed and claimed in the parentapplication above referred to.

Such locking devices comprise in general a base 22 bolted to the tie land have ears for pivoting the locking lever 24. A foot pedal 26 isformed on locking lever 24 adapted to be engaged by the switchmans footfor operating the locking device. The base 22 has a depending sleeve(not shown) providing a guideway for the connecting rod 2|. The lock rod2 I has a notch into which the looking lever 24 engages to lock theswitch in main line position.

The connecting rod 2| is attached to the nearer switch point I3 by anadjustable construction permitting an adjustment of the switch pointwith respect to the locking device 20. The fiat rod 2| is bent, as atbend 40, to provide an upstanding lug 4i fitting between bar 42 andswitch point l3.

The bar 42 may have lugs 43 and 44 through which pass bolts 45 and 46,these bolts passing through the web of switch point l3 as well as thereinforcing plates 50 and 5|. In case the clip 38 of the switch rod I6is in close proximity, the bolt may also pass through this clip, asshown particularly in Figs. 1 and 3. A plurality of flat shims, whosetops 34 are bent, are located on opposite sides of the lug 4|. Thoseshims on one side are indicated by 41 and those on the other side by 48.

Transferring these shims from one side to the other serves to adjust theswitch point I 3 with respect to the safety locking device 20. The shimsmay be transferred simply by loosening bolts 45 and 46 and locating theshims so as to provide the desired adjustment. The bent tops 34 aid inhandling the shims and prevent them dropping down before the bolts 45and 46 are tightened. It Will be noted that the end of the connectingrod 2| is tightly clamped in position by bolts 45 and 46 and that anyvertical movement of the lug 4i is prevented by engagement on one handwith the lower edge of locking bar 42 and on the other hand byengagement with the base flange 49 of switch point I3.

Referring now to Fig. 5, this form illustrates the use of the adjustableconnection when the normally closed switch point is remote from thelocking device. In these figures like parts have numbers correspondingto the first form. The construction of the switch is the same as in thefirst form, except that point [2 is the normally closed point. Thismakes I l and I2 serve as main line rails and l 0 and I3 serve as branchline rails. In this form, the switch stand l8 and locking device 20 maybe located in the same positions on the extra long ties 15, as in thefirst form.

In the second form, the connecting rod is longer, being indicated by 52,and may have incorporated in its length an insulating connection 53. Theconnecting rod 52 is connected to the switch point I2 by an adjustableconnection similar to that used in the first form. The con-- 50 nectingrod 52 has its end bent to form a lug 51 which is clamped between thelocking bar and the switch point I 2 in exactly the same way as the lug4! in the first form, the rod being locked against vertical movement bythe base flange of switch point l2 and by bar 42.

Thus, there has been described and illustrated a construction in whichadjustment may be easily made by simply loosening the bolts 45 and 46,removing shims 4'! or 48, as the case may be, and transferring them fromone side to the other. This adjustment is necessary as the parts becomeworn in use so as to make sure that the safety locking device alwaysholds the switch point in safe position for main line trafiic.Furthermore, the adjustable connection is applicable for use both whenthe normally closed switch point is on the same side of the switch asthe locking device and when remote therefrom. It will furthermore beunderstood that the adjustable connection may be connected at otherpoints along the length of the switch point without departing from thespirit of the invention.

While certain novel features of the invention have been disclosed andare pointed out in the annexed claim, it will be understood that variousomissions, substitutions and changes may bemade by those skilled in theart without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

In an adjustable connection for a safety switch lock, a movable switchpoint, a stationary rail, a rod having a flat connecting end, said endbeing bent to form a fiat lateral portion and being further bent to forma flat head, a clamping bar having apertured ends, said head beingdisposed between said clamping bar and the web of said switch point,said lateral portion being located between said clamping bar and theflange of said switch point, bolts passing through said apertured endsand the web of said switch point on opposite sides of said head, andshims between said head and said bar or switch point according toadjustment, said shims having upper shoulders engaging over the membersadjacent thereto to prevent said shims from dropping down should saidclamping bar become loose, said rod extending to a safety switch lock.

SAMUEL L. EASTBURN. GEORGE M. COOPER.

